Congress is dysfunctional and a drain on the country

DownsizeDC.org

In February we told you that the federal government’s fiscal year begins October 1, giving Congress eight full months to write, read, and pass the bills needed to fund government departments.

It’s almost September, and not ONE appropriations bill has passed. It’s probable that NONE will pass on time. And it’s a certainty that no member of Congress will read any of them.

This is just the latest evidence that Congress is broken. Fundamental change is needed.

America Rising! We’ve had enough!

This has to be one of the best video’s done on the current state of corruption in our government.  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We elected you on a promise of hope and change. We regret it. In 2010, we are taking our country back. Blue collar democrats, independents, and conservatives. We love our country. We are proud of our founders. And we will fight for our traditions. We don’t want your revolution.

Derry Brownfield: PESSIMIST OR REALIST

By Derry Brownfield         
November 15, 2009

NewsWithViews.com           

For the past several years I have been referred to as a pessimist, a doom-and-gloomer, even unkind and trying to scare people. There are a few individuals in this nation who have read the warning signs and are better informed spokespersons than the general public, but many citizens are beginning to take notice and listening to what these realistic thinkers are saying. I certainly don’t claim to be a prophet or have any insight into the future. All I can do is study the facts, recall the past and try to determine what to expect in the future. For the past 30 years I have been studying economic history and what I have learned is totally different from what I was taught in the economics courses I took in 1949 and 1950 at the University of Missouri.

During 1982-83 I wrote an article each month for a rural electric publication. The following are the titles of a few of my manuscripts: THE QUESTION OF THE MONEY SUPPLY – WE NEED FAIR TRADE NOT FREE TRADE – WE CAN’T BUY FRIENDS – IT TAKES WORK TO CURE A RECESSION – A WORLD WITHOUT BUREAUCRATS – APATHY WEAKENS A NATION – FOREIGN LOANS PINCH BIG BANKS – DON’T TAKE FREEDOM FOR GRANTED. Nearly everything I wrote in 1982-83 came to pass, yet I was told by the editorial staff in 1983 that my articles were too controversial and my services were no longer needed. They thought I was pessimistic when I was trying to be realistic.

First Steps in Reducing the Deficit and Bringing Down the High Cost Of Corrupt Government

I get emails from people almost every day asking me how I think we could reduce the deficit, and in turn reduce the national debt.  I’ve thought about this alot and here is where I think we should start:

1.  End all C.O.L.A. raises for federal employees of any kind.  Put them on a merit system…..you don’t work efficiently and produce accordingly…….you don’t profit! Keep in mind that the Federal government is now the single largest employer in the U.S> 

2.  End all Golden Fleece medical insurance programs for congress.  These people make enough each year to well afford to pay for their own insurance…….after all….they claim that people making minimum wage should be able to afford it.

3.  Reduce the massive and excessive White House Staff.

4.  End limo services, private planes and jets, and their maintenance costs including personnel costs.  Anyone who believes they are so important they must have these services obviously have the funds to afford them, themselves.

5.  End the retirement plan for congress.  There is no reason congress should be afforded retirement packages at taxpayer expense.  Again, they make enough to provide retirement for themselves. The idea that a representative or senator is still eligible for retirement payments even if they are charged with a crime or corruption is so incredible I can hardly stand it.  And why should their spouses be paid 2/3 of that amount just because they were married to them?  Can you imagine your employer paying your spouse a retirement payment just becasue you worked for them?  I thought not.

6.  End “Entertainment” expenses for congress.  No one pays for your entertainment, do they?  They can entertain in those offices we pay for.

7.  End corporate subsidies.

8.  Cut budgets to all Federal agenices by 10% off the top, and eliminate overstaffing.

9.  Discontinue the funding to the 11 Federal agencies that use unsupported (made up) documentation to cover the disappearance of funds.  Start with the Pentagon which has lost 2.7 trillion so far this year and doesn’t know where it went.

10. End congress’s ability to vote itself raises whenever it chooses to.  Make all raises subject to voter referendum.

These are my top ten.  I believe in starting at the top when trying to correct a problem.  The people at the top are the decision makers, the law givers, the political royalty who have come to think that the American people should afford them a lifestyle they firmly believe they are entitled to.  I don’t believe they are.

These ten items, if implemented could save the US taxpayer a billion or so each year.  It might also make those gods and goddesses in D.C. rethink their oaths of office and work a little harder for the American people rather than against them.

In all likelyhood, implementing these ideas would probably result in a mass exit from political office as one politician after another declared that he/she needed to spend more time with their families.  These would be the same families who are provided special accomodations in our capital so that they can visit with the “working” politician.  Does your employer provide accomodations for your family to visit you while you work?  I didn’t think so. 

These are just my thoughts.  Let me know yours.

Marti Oakley (c) 2008